A blog exploring the intersection of economic thinking and urban planning/real estate development and related big-think themes.

Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Sex in the suburbs

Today's WSJ includes "The Next Youth-Magnet Cities". The piece reports the views of six experts who agree that Washington DC, Seattle, New York, Portland, Austin are the now the "hot" places where "cool" young people go (not the reporter's cliche).

Interestingly, in 2000-2008, all but New York had suburbs that outgrew the central city. As a group, the five suburbs outgrew the five central cities by about 2:1. (H/T Wendell Cox).

This does not detract from the story. Attractive suburbs and central cities complement each other. But the return-to-the-cities stories get lots of attention and perspective is useful.